


bright lights

by ElasticElla



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, Femslash Yuletide 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-01-03
Packaged: 2018-03-05 04:03:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3104873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElasticElla/pseuds/ElasticElla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>the neighbor always has super elaborate lawn decor and this year the lights are so bright I can’t sleep au</p>
            </blockquote>





	bright lights

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted [here](http://elasticella.tumblr.com/post/105656765827/fy-day-19-home-for-the-holidays)

Talia Hale is by far one of Beacon Hill’s most influential residents. She runs an international business, shows up to almost all city council meetings, makes more than half the scheduled parent-teacher conferences, and never fails to put up exquisite holiday decor. Marin would appreciate the last a lot more if she didn’t live directly across from the Hales’, and if their lights weren’t keeping her up at night.

She wants to complain, or at the very least write Talia a passive-aggressive email. But Alan has been friends with Talia ever since they were kids, and doubtless she’d hear from him when he came home for the holidays. Neither ever had the heart to sell their parents’ home after their early deaths, and Marin had settled into Beacon Hills deeper than she anticipated. Her substitute job turned full time for teaching French, and she finished off her Masters at night at the nearby community college. When her evenings became free again, she debated between getting a dog or going for her PhD- going after clinical psychology.

She got a tank full of fish and started working on a new title.

If Marin still had exams, she’d be thankful for the bright white light that reaches through her purple curtains. But as those finished the week before, and she’s caught up on all grading, she just lays in bed, hoping sleep will come.

It doesn’t.

Her mind drifts back to Talia- it is her fault she’s awake, she should be thinking of her flaws under her public veneer. Marin decides her children’s flaws are also hers, as it’s four in the morning and some of it is probably related to parenting, or the lack of it.

Laura, as a senior, is already scarily similar to Talia. She’s clearly being groomed to take over her mother’s company, and doesn’t seem to care for anything else. She’s not motivated beyond getting high grades, not learning but memorizing definitions for the short term. For most kids, that doesn’t work well in a language class, but Laura manages to somehow keep her grades up without ever learning much.

Derek tries even less. He tends to scrape up a C minus in her class, and Marin’s sure that’s only because he goes to one of his sisters for help. He’s a grade below Laura, and is the only Hale sibling that could be called popular. While Laura and Braeden are often seen together, and Cora hangs around Boyd and Erica, Derek is seemingly friends with the entire male population of Beacon High. And if the rumors are to be believed, because Marin’s coworkers are nothing if not chatty, the boy had already dated half the girls in his grade. Then again, Jennifer swore up and down that Laura and Braeden were dating, but whenever Marin saw them they always seemed platonic.

Marin hasn’t had Cora in any of her classes yet, and she’s hoping the girl just takes Spanish. Cora’s teachers only brought her up when complaining about the bright students that never spoke up. Marin had quite enough of that with the eldest Greenberg, and didn’t get why one would pick an elective that obviously included conversing if they were so against it.

She used to be better at getting angry at Talia. The year her decorations encroached on her lawn- as if she wanted little elves looking up to Santa’s sleigh across the road- Marin had marched over to their door, tirade bubbling in her throat.

It turned out Talia and her husband, Ned, had decided to divorce that night and the tirade was very poorly received. On the other hand, Talia never tried to use her lawn again, so Marin told herself she didn’t feel too guilty. Nevertheless, over the years she avoided complaining to Talia about her decor, no matter how outrageous.

This was pushing her limits though. The bright lights finally go out, and Marin turns to her alarm clock and groans: 5:23am.

Three hours later, it feels like she just closed her eyes and someone is ringing the doorbell. Slipping on a robe, she heads down without bothering to really wake up. It’s most likely Alan, meaning she just has to hug him hello, mumble about his old room, and can then pass out again.

It takes Marin a minute to realize it’s not Alan on her snowy porch and another to say, “Morning Talia. What’s-” a yawn escapes. “How can I help you?”

Talia’s bright eyed and bushy tailed, a cup of delicious smelling coffee teasing Marin’s nose. “I was just finishing my morning jog,” because of _course_ Talia jogs to the coffee place a few miles away every morning, “and I wanted to make sure you’re coming to our little holiday get together tonight, I didn’t see your RSVP.”

Marin knows the card is sitting on her dresser upstairs, but she still says, “I’m sorry, I meant to pass it along with Laura last Friday, I must have left it at school.”

“Can you come?”

Talia’s cheeks are turning rosy, and Marin remembers suddenly that it’s December and cold, and she should be making this conversation faster not slower.

“Of course, and Alan’s coming in tonight to make sure he wouldn’t miss it.”

“Great,” Talia says, squeezing her cold hand, “I look forward to seeing you tonight then.”

“Until then.”

Marin watches Talia walk down her driveway and across the road before she realizes what she’s doing, and goes back inside, collapsing against the door. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say they had just set up a date.

But she does know better. It’s only the sleep deprivation. If Marin just decided to wear her sparkly gold dress instead of the subdued black, it’s definitely only the sleep deprivation, which was of course, all Talia’s fault.


End file.
